One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,“ she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us. -Acts 16: 14-15

Newberry resident Karen Chastain has taken up her own purple cloth sewing it to make bags of faith, hope and love for women with cancer.

A group of four women in Augusta, Ga. are credited with the idea of showing support by making tote bags to give to women fighting cancer.

The tote bags are a symbolic, visual reminder of prayerful and spiritual support.

Scraps of fabric headed for the garbage are now matched, stitched and monogrammed by volunteers and given to women with cancer.

Each of the cloth totes is monogrammed with the words “faith,“ “hope,“ or “love.“

The bags are stuffed with a prayer request card, journal, tissues, pen, and a card with the name of the seamstress who created the tote.

The idea came to Newberry through Chastain. Her daughter lives in Augusta, Ga. and goes to church with one of the Lydia founders.

When the daughter heard about the project, she volunteered her mother, a seamstress, to sew a few bags.

Chastain has now gone from sewing a couple of times a year for the project, to devoting more than 100 hours to the Lydia Project.

“God has given me a double blessing,“ said Chastain, who has been sewing for more than 50 years.

In addition to sewing the bags, she also cuts fabric from templates and creates kits for others to sew.

All of the bags have handles in a shade of purple and purple monogramming to signify Lydia from the Bible's book of Acts.

She has also rallied local business to support the project. Chastain says that the Lamplighter Gallery is giving her scraps of material and Speedy B Embroidery is monogramming the words for her.

Chastain is also delivering the bags to women who have just learned of the diagnoses.

The hospital makes the call to Chastain, who grabs a bag from her sewing room and delivers the message of support to the hospital in mere minutes.

If the patient fills out the enclosed prayer card, a group of women that meet every Thursday morning in Augusta will pray for each patient by name.

Also, the patient gets monthly calls and notes for the first year of her fight.

Chastain says the Lydia Project does not cure the woman, but helps “take away the pain.'

“It means so much to the women, many say they don't have anyone,“ said Chastain, whose best friend died of breast cancer.

Chastain also holds sewing days where seamstresses come together to make bags.

The next sewing day will be Saturday, Nov. 15 at Aveleigh Church on Calhoun Street.

For a sewing day, bring a sewing machine, scissors and thread. Those that do not sew can cut out, pin or press. For more information, call Chastain at 276-4406.

To request a Lydia tote for yourself or someone else, or to make a donation, visit the group's Web site at www.thelydiaproject.org or call 706-736-5467.